Field
Example aspects herein relate generally to obtaining radiological images, and, more particularly, to a method, system, and apparatus for performing fluoroscopy, tomography, and radiography.
Description of Related Art
Many conventional imaging devices comprise a bed on which the patient lies, a control station suitable to control the functioning of the device; a gantry, that is, a device having a cavity in which the portion to be analyzed is inserted and suitable to perform the radiological imaging of the patient.
Inside the gantry, the radiological imaging devices are provided with a source suitable to emit X-rays, and a detector, that is an element suitable to receive the X-rays after these have traversed the portion to be analyzed. The type of detector utilized varies from one device to another according to the type of radiological imaging procedure performed by said device.
The prior art radiological imaging devices require a specific detector for each analysis (e.g., x-ray radiography, fluoroscopy, or computed tomography), which means each device can perform only one type of analysis. As a result, if a patient needs to undergo different analyses, the patient has to be moved from one device to another, which adds delay and risks to the patient's health. In the case in which a patient needs to undergo several analyses, the patient has to be taken from the radiological imaging device, placed on a bed so as to be moved, picked up again and then placed on a second radiological imaging device.
Additionally, in order to perform different types of analyses to a high standard, a medical center must be equipped with several radiological imaging devices, involving substantial outlays. In response, specific radiological devices have been developed in recent years that also use conventional flat panel sensors to perform two-dimensional radiographic imaging.
However, two-dimensional radiographic images obtained by conventional flat panel sensors typically are of poor quality as a result of diffused, so-called parasitic radiation, formed by the interactions between X-rays and matter, which hits the detector and spoils the quality of the image. Furthermore, owing to parasitic radiation, such devices may undesirably expose the patient and, in some cases, the operator, to high doses of radiation. This can be a concern in the field of veterinary radiology, as human operators are frequently required to hold the patient in position when performing a radiographic examination, and are thus susceptible to being exposed to parasitic radiation.
In order to reduce the incidence of parasitic radiation, conventional radiological imaging devices are often fitted with anti-diffusion grids composed of thin lead plates fixedly arranged parallel to each other so as to prevent the diffused rays from reaching the flat panel sensor. However, such grids are only partially effective in remedying the effects of parasitic radiation on image quality. Moreover, the presence of said anti-diffusion grids imposes the need to use a higher dose, thereby possibly increasing the danger of causing illness.